This invention related to a portable, readily deployable collapsible anchor, so termed because it has a pair of flukes which are rotatable in a yoke when a release mechanism is triggered. A snagged anchor may be released by pulling upon the deployed anchor's line in a direction which triggers the mechanism. The rotatable flukes allow the anchor to be stored in a "collapsed" or "folded" position. The magnitude of the force required to be exerted is predetermined by the construction of the anchor and is relatively constant. This force is essentially unrelated to the force exerted on the flukes when the anchor is engaged, snagged or not.
More specifically, this invention relates to an anchor which will be used by persons of tightly circumscribed means, who routinely use small water craft in relatively shallow waters under conditions aptly suited to snagging an anchor.
Still more specifically, this invention is directed to
(a) obviating the problem of coping with the large force required to release an anchor having a construction in which such force is proportional to the load on engaged flukes (the force exerted on the flukes, particularly when the flukes are snagged);
(b) using a minimum number of parts the interaction of which is substantially insensitive to being fouled by underwater detritus when the anchor is snagged in a rock crevice, or under a heavy log, and must be unsnagged; and,
(c) using parts which are inexpensive to manufacture.
In the prior art there exist a variety of anchors having flukes which are released by a mechanism which is highly sensitive to the magnitude of the force exerted on the flukes. Among such anchors are those in which a central locking plug is required to be pulled away from the flukes. Because the force required to remove the locking plug increases as the force exerted on the flukes increases, the flukes are proportionately more tightly biased against the plug as the force on the anchor line increases.
Examples of anchors with locking plug construction may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,656,448; 3,747,553; 4,038,934; 4,057,024; and 4,261,281; inter alia.
The concept of using an anchor attachment line lever ("line lever" for brevity) to transmit the force required to operate a release mechanism was used in U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,727 to Fasco (class 114/subclass 297). However, the line lever was pivoted in the anchor, to function as a crank for changing the direction of the rectilineal force exerted on the anchor's line to a direction at right angles to that rectilineal direction, the net result of which is to retract a sliding bar in a slot. An elongated pivoted member connected to a fluke assembly is biased against the sliding bar, so that when the sliding bar is raised, the flukes are released. Such construction of the Fasco anchor, apart being different from that of this invention, fails to isolate the force exerted on the flukes (which is transmitted to the pivoted member) from the force required to release the flukes. As is evident, the greater the force exerted by the flukes, the greater the force exerted by the pivoted member on the sliding bar, and the greater the force required to retract the sliding bar in the slot.